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car lifts


pete g

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Scott,

 

So, what you are saying is that I should spend a week or so negotiating which lift and at what price only to have the committee then so "No". 

 

I've got better things to do than fly kites.

 

And, by the way, it was another member who suggested a Bulk Buy.

 

Whilst the last BB I organized started on another forum many on here joined in as did members from about another 30 car clubs.

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  mark

so what are you saying . its not safe.

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mark

so what are you saying . its not safe.

No, I have never at any point said it is unsafe ??? . What I'm saying is that the FoS of 500 which is being quoted in this thread is missleading as the failure will not occure in the bolts but instead between the fixings and whatever substrate they are installed into.

Properly installed with a permanent, correctly specified and well anchored fixing, it should perform no differently to any other 2-post lift.

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ok so will unbolting and rebolting  them weaken them ? :(

in fact by doing so it would give you a better idea to whether the was any concrete cracking [unlike a permanent install  ] :yes:

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It was many years ago but Cosworth put in their first semiautomatic machines called Milawakeematics.  They also had some mini cranes to lift the blocks and heads onto the machine.  I was there when these cranes were being tested.  They were loaded up to twice times what was required and the angle between the main body of the crane and the jib did not change.  Great.  But the Rawlbolts were coming out of the floor but no one measured that!!

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I have never installed nor used a lift, but I have done an awful lot of stress calculations and designed a few load bearing frames so I can see the problems that might befall the unwary.  :suspect:

 

The majority of two post lifts I have found on Google images have either a cross beam at high level like this one:-

How2PostLiftWorks_main.jpg

 

 

 

 

or a transverse floor beam that resists the tendency for the columns to tilt inwards under load like this one:-

 

pl207204-launch_tlt235sb_floor_plate_two

 

 

 

 

This one below http://redlinestands.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/two-post-auto-lift-installation.html has a stringent specification for the bolting down requirements because it has neither of the above cross-braces. See this illustration that shows no cross braces - the instructions show a lift WITH braces!  ???

 

6K_Longhorn_Lift_opt.jpeg

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ok so will unbolting and rebolting  them weaken them ? :(

in fact by doing so it would give you a better idea to whether the was any concrete cracking [unlike a permanent install  ] :yes:

Yes, it will weeken them.

It's unlikely you will see any cracking as this would typically occur below the visible surface of the concrete. Concrete failure tends to happen suddenly with little pre-warning or visible indication of any issue.

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or a transverse floor beam that resists the tendency for the columns to tilt inwards under load like this one:-

 

 

 

Sorry but, That beam is just a cover for some hydraulic pipes and some wires so you can drive over them.

 

 

 

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looks like i will  be the only one getting one then. :d  :d  :d live dangerous i say. :rolleyes:

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Pete,

 

Why not just buy a fork truck, you can move that in and out, keep it outside, the neighbours will love you. :laugh:  Doubles as a hydraulic engine lift too.

 

Jack could do no end of damage with it  :d

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I am not a building engineer, however after years of working in the motortrade I have seen and sold just about every ramp made. The two post ramps are not braced these shown are just the method for pipes, or in some cases a chain to run at floor lever to the screw jack in each pillar.

 

What I can say is this, in every installation I have ever seen even on the thickest floor, when installing a ramp they always start by cutting a square out and then filling with fresh concrete of a known NM loading. On new unit builds the builder can supply this, old buildings never take a chance.

 

The thickness for a normal domestic garage is nowhere near good enough for a ramp of any type. Those portable ones would be fine but I would want them bolted down properly and they would be fine on light cars

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I understand that my assumptions vis-a-vis the transverse components may be wrong, but your information on the standards of floors required, Jeff, supports my worries regarding the safety of this kind of lift. As someone said above, concrete anchor failures give no warnings...  :oops:

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Pete have you looked at anything like this ?

 

 

http://www.restorationramps.co.uk/

You just beaten me to it - was going to Google them later on as I’ve seen these in action and was very impressed with their ease of use and portability.

 

R

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